Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s chief of staff Josh Kettler has reportedly quit the job just days before he was due to accompany them on their trip to Colombia. Sources close to the couple told The Daily Mail about the unexpected resignation on Monday, and speculation hgrew from there. However, the most reliable reports said that Kettler and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex agreed that this partnership was not the right fit for them.
Kettler signed on as Markle and Prince Harry’s chief of staff about a week before their trip to Nigeria began back in May, and insiders said that he has been on a three-month trial period since then, which is common for many jobs. These sources told PEOPLE that Kettler and the Sussexes made the “mutual” decision to part ways after 90 days, with “both sides agreeing it wasn’t the right fit.” However, many pundits related this to reports that Markle and Prince Harry have had difficulty in retaining employees in general, and a follow-up by The Daily Mail on Thursday told a more dramatic tale.
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Another source told The Daily Mail that Kettler had a bad time working for the Sussexes and he took the first exit offered to him. They said: “There were aspects of it that he wasn’t comfortable with. He thought it was better to leave now than to continue in a job that he did not enjoy.”
Whichever version of events is true, the resignation drew a lot of attention because it came so soon before the Sussexes’ trip to Colombia. They are visiting on behalf of their charity, which has just launched a new initiative called the Archewell Foundation’s Parent Network. It is meant to provide resources for parents of children experiencing cyberbullying and related mental health struggles – particularly those experiencing suicidal thoughts. This new venture dovetails with Colombia’s upcoming event, the first-ever World Ministerial Conference on the Elimination of Violence Against Children. However, many commenters are referring to this as a “quasi-royal tour” of the country.
Kettler joined the couple in Nigeria and accompanied Prince Harry to the U.K. as well to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. The scope of his duties was not entirely clear, but, according to Page Six, Kettler’s resume includes high-level work as a coordinator in corporate and legal settings. This led some pundits to look back at other top-tier employees who have left the Sussexes’ employ, wondering if the prince and his wife are the common denominator.
Rumors that Markle and Prince Harry are difficult to work with have persisted for years, but former employees have not spoken out on the record. Prince Harry disputed this narrative in his memoir Spare, writing that Markle became extremely close to those who spent time in their household. So far, he and Markle have not responded publicly to the reports and speculation about Kettler.
